NAIROBI, May 29, 2018 (CISA) – Thousands of students from 760 schools participated in the sixth edition of the Mater Heart Run that took place Saturday, May 26.
The first lady Margaret Kenyatta flagged off the national launch at the Jomo Kenyatta International Convention Centre, (KICC) in Nairobi. The event started off with a word of prayer from Bishop Alfred Rotich emeritus of the Military Ordinariate.
Nine counties including Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nyeri, Machakos, Meru, Nakuru, Uasin Gishu and Kakamega took part in the campaign that aimed to raise KSh 200 Million to help children with heart-related problems get treatment.
The Mater Hear Run initiative that is run by the Mater Misericordiae Hospital’s Cardiac Programme, has seen over 3,000 children benefit from cardiac surgeries since its initiation in 1995.
In Mombasa, the race was held at the Kenya Ports Authority Sports Club Mbaraki, Booker Academy (Mumias), Meru Polytechnic Grounds (Meru), Kenyatta Stadium (Machakos), Kamukunji Grounds (Nyeri), Afraha Stadium (Nakuru), Moi Girls High School (Eldoret), and Jomo Kenyatta Grounds in Kisumu.
“Here in Uasin Gishu we have raised 4 million shillings that will go a long way to assisting those children who are suffering from heart complications so that they can undergo surgery,” said Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Mandago.
Margaret Kenyatta commended the management of the Mater Hospital and its partners for their tireless work in sustaining the momentum of the Cardiac Program.
“Because of your commitment and generosity, over 3,000 surgeries have been carried out on children who had no other way of affording these lifesaving procedures, the First Lady said.
